Injuries Resulting When Small Children Fall Out of Bed

Abstract

Children frequently fall out of bed but seldom incur serious injury. When such a fall raises parental concern, the pediatrician is consulted; even in this group, the child is rarely found to have a severe injury. There is a clinical impression that skull radiographs, when taken in these situations,are of extremely low yield and are not necessary as a routine. Occasionally a child who is reported to have fallen out of bed presents with a skull fracture, cerebral edema, retinal hemorrhage, subdural hematoma,and/or epidural hemorrhage. These severe injuries are discrepant with the history; it is often this discrepancy